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Pakistan: Couple stoned to death

A couple have been stoned to death for 'adultery' in the tribal areas of northern Pakistan. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemns the murder.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has condemned the stoning to death of a couple in FATA and demanded that all those involved in the ‘barbaric’ act be arrested, tried and punished under the law.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, HRCP co-chairperson Iqbal Haider said that the couple – Shano of Mohmand Agency and Daulat Khan of Bara – were accused of adultery and stoned to death by militants in Khwezai-Baezai which was not only against recognised Islamic injunctions but was also in violation of the Constitution and such acts and practices caused incalculable harm to the image and reputation of both Islam and Pakistan in the civilised world.

He said that under Articles 246 and 247 of the Constitution all tribal areas were part of Pakistan and were under executive authority of the federal government and the president and provincial governor are fully competent to issue directives and apply such laws of Pakistan in the tribal area, as considered necessary for the peace and good governance of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas.

A man and a woman were stoned to death by militants in Khwezai-Baezai area on Monday after a ‘qazi court’ found them guilty of adultery.

This is the first incident of Rajam (stoning to death) carried out in Fata. Earlier, couples found guilty of adultery by militants or tribesmen were executed by firing squads.

The woman, identified as Shano from Mohmand Agency, had allegedly eloped with Daulat Khan Malikdeenkhel of Bara on March 15.

Dr Asad, a spokesman for the militants, told Dawn that Shano was a married woman living in Peshawar’s Deen Bahar colony.

He said a complaint had been received from her family that she had been abducted by Daulat Khan. But later it was reported that she had eloped with him.

He said that some members of the Taliban movement captured them in Nowshera when they were returning from Karachi.

He said the qazi found the couple guilty of adultery and sentenced them to death by stoning and the sentence was carried out in Khwaezai-Baezai, about 40 kms west of the Mohmand Agency’s headquarters Ghalanai.

The body of the woman was laid to rest in the same area by some local people. The man’s body was taken to the hospital and handed over to his relatives.